The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-06-23

a
the cars had precipitated it into the
aisle. With the aid of a fellow-passen
ger and cane Mr.. Gilkey fished VI
the precious parcel and by the time thi:
feat was accomplished the train wa:
moving slowly into the Brandon sta
ton.
Mr.. Ames shook hands with the
stranger at parting. and said he wa;
glad to have met him; after which
ceremony the travellers repaired tC
their several destinations. Mrs. Gilkey
with vague forebodings lest the fall
should have resulted disastrously to the
contents of the bandbox; Mr.. Ames
with placid satisfaction with himself
and the world at large, and the
stranger-but as he is stranger we
can not guess with any accuracy what
his thoughts and feelings were.
The church was filled that Sabbath
morning, and an agreeable flutter OF
expectation pervaded the well-dressed
congregation. Their faces wore that
wide-awake, alert expression of per-
sons who expect to be entertained.
Mr.. Ames felt very tranquil in spirit,
as he leisurely assembled the church
steps, just in time for the opening an
them. As he leaned back in his seat
and glanced over the crowded house.
he said to himself that he, for one. was
glad they were going to have a steady
pastor, and he was going to do his best
to encourage him. He'd get intro
duced after service and invite him UP
to dinner tomorrow. He nudged his
wife and confded to her this resolve,
and she said twas ''just the thing
He craned his neck around to get a
sight of the new man, but the desk
completely hid him from view, as he
sat in the large pulpit chair, resting
his head on one shapely hand.
With the last notes of the anthem,
Mrs. Gilkey sailed down the aisle in all
the glory of her new bonnet, while the
husband followed at respectful dis
lance behind the swaying plumes and
spreading brim. Mrs. Ames whispered
to her husband that 'twould be just
like the Gilkeys to try to get in ahead
with the minister, that woman was $50
pushing" He must remember and
speak to the minister right after church.
The choir sat down with a futter
and giggle. There was brief pause.
Then the preacher advanced to the
desk and announced the hymn. AS
the mellow tones of his voice
tloated out over their heads the
waiting congregation smiled gracious
approval. But what was it made Mr..
Ames start so violently at the first
words of the reader, stare hard at the
desk and sink back into his seat with
an expression of blank dismay? Mr.
Gilkey observed it from where he sat
and wondered what it meant. One
look at the minister told the story.
He was the stranger who had shared
Mr.. Ames' seat in the cars the night
before!
The subsequent proceedings were
fraught with painful interest for at
least two of that audience. Mrs. Ames
whispered to her husband that she no.
ticed that Mrs. DR.. Holmes wore new
sealSkin, but he needed her not, and
when the congregation rose to sing. he
kept his seat, despite that lady's re-
proving look. He stole furtive glanc
at Mr.. GIlkey to see how he bore it.
That gentleman, after some discussion
with his wife, arose, and held the book
for her during the hymn. but he hung
his head and looked crushed in spirit.
Mrs. Gilkey, on the contrary, carried
her head and the new bonnet with con-
scious dignity and sang like robin.
To Mr.. Ames' excited imagination
that service was ten hours long, al
though the clock only indicated an
hour and half. Brandon had not
heard such a sermon for many a day;
but Mr.. Ames, alasi couldn't have told
l word there was in it. He counted
the pipes in the organ, the crystals on
The chandeliers, the panes of glass in
he windows, in his frantic attempts
% make the time pass. But every time
he returned from some abstruse nume-
zeal calculation only to hear the elo-
Iuent tones of the preacher and behold
he people hanging in rapt attention on
very word.
Mr.. Ames did not wait to be intro
luced to the minister after the service.
Far from it! He fished his hat out from
lnder the seat with unwonted alarcity,
md made for the door, looking neither
o the left nor right.
That was powerful sermon we've
ust heard, wasn't it, Brother Ames?"
'cgan Elder Stanclist, stepping softly |
Tut into the aisle. ''Such depth and
'rofundity of thought, such"
But Mr.. Ames stalked past him, with !
.verted gaze and pretended not to !
lear.
He jammed his hat down ovee his
yes and shot out of the door with |
more haste than dignity. On the cor
Ter he stopped and waited for his wife, |
vhO demanded sternly how he supposed
hat man was going to come up to
Inner if he wasn't invited? And he
old her, candidly, he was sure he
lidn't know.
Monday night the church had meet
NC at which they unanimously voted to
i've Mr.. Grant a call. But what was
heir surprise on rendering him the
'astorate, to find it promptly and posi-
lively declined. He said he felt that
he responsibilities of the charge would
e too great for his humble powers.